Sonia Shortland

Heading up a team of Underwriters, Sonia Shortland tells us what it’s like to be the Director of Apex Bridging….

What do you enjoy the most about your job?

I love working with our brokers, especially when dealing with a challenging case that is outside criteria. I always discuss a case honestly, and openly, so that the broker can understand my thinking behind the decision making process.

What are the downsides of the job?

I hate letting people down, and in this job, there are occasionally issues going on with the property being lent upon, that we just cannot overcome. Over time this has happened less and less, mainly due to the experience within the team. As we are a small company, any cases that fall through hit us, in the same way they hit our brokers, it’s hard not to be disappointed.

What have you learnt during your time at Apex Bridging?

Being here from day one, the amount that I have learnt is extraordinary. I have changed our criteria, our processes and how we conduct our business numerous times, to provide a better service to our brokers. I am confident that we have found our niche, with our 80% lending against value product, and the fact that we can see if a deal doesn’t fit for us. We will continue to adapt to changes in our market, to ensure we’re at the forefront of the industry.

What skills do you think are important in your job?

I feel there are two main skills, firstly underwriting the value of a property - making a sound loan hinges on the security. In this job, we need to understand the value of each security and the risks surrounding it. We carry out the majority of our underwriting at AIP stage, if we don’t like something we advise our broker straight away.

Secondly, and most importantly, it’s speaking. We build our broker relationships, by speaking to them, and meeting them face to face. This is key for our business, as every case is different, and our criteria is so varied.